


Venomous

by RoboticSpaceCase



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bill's gonna fuck the snake, Fluff, M/M, Mafia AU, Mafia Leader Bill, Naga AU, Naga Dipper, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, abuse recovery, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-08-20 23:13:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16564919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoboticSpaceCase/pseuds/RoboticSpaceCase
Summary: After a business deal goes south, Bill ends up with a new partner that proves to be helpful in his rise to power.





	1. Quick Draw

**Author's Note:**

> Look at me, writing something new :D I don't think I can ever leave this ship, it's just too good.
> 
> I was going to wait to post this until I had a few chapters done, but I figured eh, fuck it :p
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy this new journey! <3

Bill’s day had started off like any other. He woke up to coffee thanks to his lovely assistant, ate breakfast made by his chef, and a few of his men updated him on how things were going in the streets. It was all routine.

Though, he did have a meeting he had to take part in just before lunch that was far from his routine. Bill hated having to ask people for things rather than just taking what he wanted. But he wasn’t strong enough on his own just yet to do that, at least, not with this man.

Usually, he brought at least two men with him to meetings, letting the party he was sitting down with know that he wasn’t about to take any guff. That day, however, Bill was having a sit down with a man he was trying to do some big business with. One that had more manpower than him anyway.

Mr. Carter.

He went by just Mr. C to those beneath him, but Bill thought that was tacky and refused to call him that unless he was in front of the man’s face. Not that he  _ actually _ cared what the degenerate thought, but if he wanted to get on the man’s good side he would have to play nice and call him whatever the idiot proclaimed himself as.

Getting on his good side also meant showing him respect and trust, so that was part of the reason Bill decided to forgo the extra man-power and go alone, knowing that he could handle himself should something go wrong.

Well, he had  _ thought _ he could handle himself, anyway. Halfway through the sit-down, things went south  _ fast. _

“Cipher, you and I are both quite powerful men right now,” Carter started, leaning back in his large, leather chair. Everything about the man and his office screamed “mob boss” to Bill, and he was sure the shorter man had done it on purpose to feel better about his appearance.

“You more so than I,” Bill admitted, trying not to grit his teeth. He remained as still as possible, keeping his posture without looking too stiff. It wasn’t uncommon for one of these guys to jump to conclusions if you moved too quickly, thinking a gun was about to be pulled.

It filled the room with a certain tension that Bill found rather exciting, though he wasn’t about to find himself smiling anytime soon while he was around this goon.

“I agree. Which is why I don’t think I want to make this deal with you.” He put his hand up to stop Bill from protesting. “I just don’t feel like associating my name with someone who only moves a few million’s worth of a single product while I’m moving several million of multiple products. In more than just this state, mind you.”

Finding the will not to roll his eyes took Bill a moment. He had to take a slow, deep breath in to keep himself from doing anything to make things worse. “You wouldn’t want to have me working under you, controlling this entire city? Sure, you would be giving me a few miles of turf, but I run a tight, clean ship which you would be using to expand your name. Not tarnish it.”

Bill didn’t want to work under Carter. He  _ loathed _ the idea of working for any man, let alone one that thought a gaudy red tie was appropriate for a meeting. But this deal would allow him to put his foot in the door of other trades and open the opportunity to  _ squash _ Carter one day.

“That’s the thing,” Carter smirked, his smugness making Bill want to punch him right then and there. “I could easily just get rid of you and take what I want either way. I have men far more qualified to run this place than you. Ones that I actually trust.”

Before Carter even took his next breath, Bill was out of his seat with his gun drawn, pointing it behind him to shoot the man standing by the door. He had been hoping he wouldn’t have to shoot his way out of this meeting, but by the way Carter spoke and moved he knew that if he didn’t start shooting first he would be dead within seconds.

With the man by the door down in a single shot, Bill kept his stare firmly on Carter while he waited for the others to show. If he shot Carter down now, he would be able to talk or shoot his way around the rest of the men.

“I’m not one to go down without some bloodshed,” Bill shrugged. He turned his gun on Carter, thrilled that he no longer had to act nice. “You’re an idiot for not working with me, Carter. I could’ve tripled what you had here.”

Carter’s expression didn’t change, the shit-eating grin still plastered on his face as if he didn’t have a gun pointed at the bridge of his nose. “I’m sure you could’ve,” he chuckled. “That still doesn’t mean I want your name stuck on mine. Your little song and dance has been fun, though. Have fun dealing with my pet.”

Bill furrowed his brows at the man, not sure what pet he was talking about, but had no time to ask before the ground suddenly moved out from under his feet. Carter  _ really _ had a trapdoor on the other side of his desk. It was the kind of cartoony, super villain-like crap that he should have expected from the tacky man.

And yet, he hadn’t, and now he was sliding down some metal shute, his nice suit collecting whatever filth was on it on his way down. For what had to have been a full minute, Bill just kept falling and falling, almost getting bored. He had no idea what he was about to land in or on, it could possibly kill him instantly, but it was such a long fall that he stopped caring.

When it finally did end, he landed with a loud thud onto dirt, clouds of it puffing up around him. Thankfully, nothing felt broken or bent too out of shape and he was alive. But now he was faced with the problem of finding a way out. And dealing with whatever Carter called his pet.

He stood up and brushed his suit off, clearing his throat and trying to see around the dark room he had landed in. It appeared to be a basement, though he had figured that from his long fall. Nothing stood out and everything was still, but there was a tension in the air that sent a chill up his spine. Not many things did that to him. Whatever it was had to be something special, though he assumed a pet had to mean a dog of some sort.

That assumption proved to be wrong, however. Not long after he got tired of squinting, a pair of glowing blue eyes came from the shadows, accompanied by a low hissing sound. As far as he knew, snakes didn’t have eyes that glowed in the dark, but he wasn’t exactly well-versed in reptiles.

“Alright, okay, snake, how do I fight a snake,” he mumbled to himself, slowly backing away from the eyes.

They followed right after him, rising higher and higher until Bill was pretty sure that it wasn’t just some normal snake he was dealing with. No snake stood as tall as this one had, he knew that much. His mind couldn’t come up with anything else it could be, though. The hissing, the sound of the movement on the ground; it had to be a snake.

“Fighting would be pointless,” a monotone voice said.

Okay, not a snake.

“Alright, okay, no fighting.” Bill cleared his throat, trying his best to speak confidently so that he could maybe reason with whatever this was. “I assume the one speaking is the one with the glowing eyes, right? My name’s Bill, Bill Cipher. What’s your name?” Still unable to see, Bill stopped trying to back away, simply standing up straight and hoping that this thing would speak with him.

“It doesn’t matter,” the voice said a little more aggressively. “You’re going to be dead soon anyway.”

Something scaley started to wrap around him, the glowing eyes circling around him as it coiled up on his body.

“A snake that talks,” he said a bit blandly to himself. He kept his cool as the tail wrapped around him, taking in even breaths. He could talk his way out of this. Bill talked his way out of most things. Though, he would be shooting his way out of this instead if he hadn’t lost his gun in the fall. “Can I at *least* know what you are before you kill me? These scales of yours are beautiful.”

Carefully, Bill placed his hand on the tail closing in on him, lightly touching the scales. He couldn’t really see them all that well, but from what little the glow of the creature's eyes gave, he could tell that they were blue, and he liked blue.

The thing hissed loudly at him, it’s tail clenching around his body like a fist in a flash. Everything from his head to his toes felt the pressure, and for a moment his lungs refused to let in any air.

“Why would you care, you’re just another one of them! And you’re going to die like the rest!”

Bill wheezed, pushing at the thing's tail. “W-wait! Plea-please, just-” He paused and huffed. Breathing had never been so hard. “I’m not- not like them!” A lie, but it didn’t need to know that. “Let- Let me speak!”

It gave an annoyed huff but still loosened its grip a little. “ _ Fine. _ But speak quickly and know that regardless of what you say, I’m going to kill you.” It moved closer to Bill’s face, finally allowing him to see what was speaking. Or rather,  _ who _ was speaking.

The man-snake carried bags under his eyes that stuck out against his pale skin, his torso bare and covered in scars. He was also extremely thin. So much so that Bill could see his ribs, which couldn’t be healthy for something so large. It had to want out of there.

“Okay, thank you,” Bill sighed. “I can get you out of here, but you have to help me, alright? If we work together, I can bust you out and we can both get revenge on Carter for doing this to us. You do want out, right?” With his free hand, Bill hesitantly reached out, touching the sickly face of the man. “It would be a shame for such a beautiful creature to waste away down here.”

His way with words and flirting have worked before, and Bill held his breath for a tense moment as the man-snake figured out what his response was going to be.

“I...I do miss my family,” he said softly. He moved away from Bill’s hand, placing his own over it so that he couldn’t move it again. “But how do you expect us to get out? How can I trust you?”

“You can’t,” Bill shrugged. “I don’t know how I’d hide you once we get out, and there’s no way I could prove to you right now that you can trust me. But do either of us really have much of a choice here? If you kill me, you’ll just stay down here and rot away, and if I betray you, then I don’t have the extra muscle to help get out. But if we work together, if you can use your night vision eyes to find my gun, then we can shoot and fight our way out. You have my word that I’ll help you out when all is said and done.”

Another pause came between them, one that lasted much longer than the one before it. It was so long that for a moment Bill wondered if he needed to keep speaking, but before he could, he got his answer.

“Fine. We’ll work together. I’ll find your gun and you can shoot off the lock to the door. I have no idea how to use a gun or I would have done it before.”

The tail around Bill left as quickly as it had come, leaving him staggering on the floor for a moment while he shook out his limbs. This thing was strong, it would be the perfect way out and letting it go just before killing Carter would be the sweetest revenge.

“Here, I think this is yours.”

A gun was placed in Bill’s hands, but it certainly wasn’t the one he had come in with. This gun was heavier, bigger, and when he felt for them, he could tell it was loaded with some heavy duty bullets. Whoever had lost it must’ve not known how to use it or it wouldn’t be down there.

“Nope, but it’s better,” he chuckled. After making sure it was cocked, Bill took in a deep breath, readying himself for what was to come. “I can’t see, so show me right where the door and lock are, then we can get this show on the road.”

“Right.” The thing grabbed Bill’s wrist, pulling him along to the wall and placing his hand right on the lock. “After you shoot this off, if I remember correctly, it leads right to some stairs. Then once we get up those, we’ll be right at the main entrance area, so you’ll probably need to start shooting right away. I’ll be right behind you to watch your back.”

Bill nodded, taking his hand off the wall and aiming carefully at where it just was. He took in a deep breath, looking over at the glowing eyes. “So, you got a name?”

“Dipper,” he said simply.

“Nice.” Bill shot the lock, moving forward right away to feel if he had got it. He had. Dead center where he wanted to hit, too. “Perfect. Now, let’s get the fuck out of Dodge.”

With the lock out of the way, the door stood no chance and was kicked down easily, allowing Bill to bolt out of the room with Dipper in tow. He made it up the stairs in no time, his heart pounding against his ribs with each step, ringing in his ears like the sound of a war drum, one that pumped him up to start shooting without a single thought about asking questions.

Three men at the top of the stairs.

Two in the entryway and one in front of the door that Carter hid behind.

Not one of them saw Bill coming, all staring in horror before falling dead on the ground.

Bill placed his hand on the door to Carter’s office, looking back to Dipper. The two shared a nod before Bill burst through the door, aiming the gun at Carter. He didn’t step into the room, not when the man seemed to have a thing for cartoon-villain-like trap doors.

“Carter, nice to see you again.” Bill kept the gun pointed right at the man’s face, gesturing to Dipper with his free hand. “I met Dipper, and we’ve agreed that you suck.”

A timid tap to Bill’s shoulder made him pause, slightly glancing back at Dipper. “Yes?”

“Can I kill him?”

A strange request, but Dipper had clearly faced more hardships thanks to Carter than Bill, and he wasn’t one to deny someone revenge.

“Go for it.” He lowered the gun, moving out of the way just in time to see Dipper dart into the room, finally giving him a chance to see the other. He was like a mermaid but there were no fins or gills to be found. Just scales. Pretty blue ones that looked a bit dull from being in the dark for so long.

But they weren’t nearly as interesting as the upper human half, the part that tore so easily into Carter. Dipper had claws and long fangs, both of which were making Carter unrecognizable.

“Hey, I know you want him to suffer, but I’m pretty sure he’s dead or close, and he’s got more men that could show up soon. I only have so much ammo and my car should still be out front, so we should go.” Bill had no clue how he was going to fit Dipper into his car, but he’d try. If there was one thing Bill tried to do, it was keep his word.

No one would want to make deals with someone who had no credibility, so when he could or felt like it, he’d do his best to make sure he kept promises. And Dipper could be a nice asset, so having him as an ally would be a big plus too.

“Sorry, had to get this.” Dipper came up from the pile of gore, holding up a necklace. Nothing about it seemed too special, it was just a blue jewel of some sort on a silver chain, but if Dipper needed it back, then he needed it back.

“Alright, you have it, now let’s go.” Bill readied his gun again, making sure their path out was clear as he and Dipper hurried out of the building. Thankfully, his car was still there and unlocked. But now he had to figure out how to get Dipper in there. “Uh, okay, my car is kind of sporty, not really made to fit snake people in it. How do you want to do this?”

Dipper chuckled, squinting from the sun as he moved to the passenger side. “We’re called nagas, and that’s why I wanted the necklace.” He pulled it over his head, shaking out his matted hair. Before Bill’s very eyes, the tail disappeared and legs replaced it, leaving Dipper naked as the now human-looking naga got into the car. “Stop staring, you’re the one that said we have to go, so let’s go!”

Bill shook his head, rubbing his wide eyes before climbing into the car and starting it up. Zero to sixty in seconds flat was his goal, and he was sure to hit it as they peeled away from Carter’s building.

Next to him, Dipper was looking out the window as if none of this was even real. To someone that had been locked up for a while, it probably seemed like some sort of lucid dream. In no time at all, Bill had come into his life, saved him from captivity, and helped him get revenge on the one who put him there in the first place. Even to Bill, it seemed surreal, but there he was. Driving home with a magical, naked, snake man in his car.

It had all been a lot to take in, but he figured it was just the life he had chosen and had to roll with it. Though, he was definitely going to take a nap when he got home.   
  



	2. Getting Settled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys :D Long time no see hahaha
> 
> It's been taking me a while to write because, as some of you may know, I've been having a continuous rough time, but I've been feeling better lately so I wrote what I could ^^
> 
> If you want to keep up on writing updates, follow me on Tumblr: roboticspacecase.tumblr.com I'm only 6 followers away from doing a writing/art giveaway, so go over there and follow if you'd like to participate! :)
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this kind of short chapter! <3

If Bill had come home covered in blood, none of the workers in his manor would have even blinked at him. If he had come home with pretty much anything other than a man wearing nothing but a weird necklace, they probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But Bill had Dipper pretty much clinging to his side and everyone seemed to think it was alright to stare.

“I think we should get you a bath, some clothes, and food, then maybe a nap. I know I’ll be taking one soon.” Bill let out a yawn as he walked, not paying any mind to the stares his employees gave them. The maids didn’t seem to mind as much, but the bodies he kept around as a type of security ogled Dipper as if he had grown a third eye.

Which wouldn’t freak them out nearly as bad as when he would eventually come out with his tail. That was something Bill just tried to push to the back of his mind. Dipper wasn’t human and that was fine. Totally fine. He had seen weirder things in his line of work.

“Okay, but you know you don’t have to keep being nice, right? We got out and I appreciate the help, but you don’t have to go to all that trouble for me.” The naga’s voice had some strength behind it, but ultimately it came across as timid and quiet, probably just as tired as Bill was.

“It’s not a problem, Dipper. You helped me, and I want to help you. From what I saw, Carter put you through the wringer and you seem like you could use the hospitality.” He put his arm around Dipper’s shoulders, keeping the brunet close so that the others knew he was perfectly alright to be there. “You can even use my personal bathroom, it’s got all the nicest things in there and the water gets warmer faster.”

“If you’re sure,” Dipper mumbled, looking around the halls.

“I’m sure.” He gave Dipper a soft smile, nudging the naga towards his bathroom when they finally got into his room. “Do you know how to use this kind of stuff, or should I teach you before I find you something to wear?”

Dipper stepped into the bathroom, the cold tiles sending a visible shiver up his spine. “I can figure it out.” He stepped in further, closing the door while giving Bill a weary look.

It was entirely possible that Dipper knew Bill wasn’t being nice  _ purely _ for the sake of being nice, but that was alright with Bill. Sweet-talking people happened to be his specialty, and he was sure that a snake person would be no different. Everyone had their price and there was no doubt that Dipper’s bar had been set pretty low after everything he had been through.

With the naga in the shower, Bill took his time to change his own clothes and pick some out for Dipper. Shockingly enough, Dipper was actually pretty small in his human form and Bill’s clothes would definitely be big on him, but for the time being, it would have to do. He’d get Dipper’s size and order things online for him later when he had the energy to even worry about that sort of thing. It could sweeten the deal for the naga to stay once he did get to it, so he made a mental note not to forget.

Bill laid the clothes out on his bed near the foot of it then sat down higher up near the pillows. Exhaustion ate at him and he wanted to just lay down to sleep until he couldn’t anymore, but the sooner he made sure Dipper was comfortable and staying, the sooner he could rest easy. While he certainly wasn’t going to treat Dipper like Carter had, Bill wouldn’t mind that type of muscle working for him and getting into Dipper’s head had been easy before, he could do it again.

It was amazing how simple kindness could often get him so far, even if it was faked.

A yawn forced its way out just as the naga stepped out of the bathroom, a towel tightly wrapped around his slender waist. “Feeling better?” Bill asked as he sat up a bit more.

“Yeah,” Dipper nodded. He motioned to the clothes on the bed, his hand still dripping slightly. “Those for me?” His question was clear but Dipper’s voice still wavered, like he was trying to be strong but couldn’t quite stick to the act.

“They are. I figure you might as well get cozy here for a bit and heal before we try to find that family of yours.” Bill got off the bed, half afraid that if he laid down he’d end up falling asleep. Nearly dying took a toll on a guy.

“Really? You...you’re actually going to help me?” Dipper looked at him with wide eyes, still not moving yet to change. That was fine, though, the brunet wasn’t the worst thing to look at. His curly brown locks and matching brown eyes weren’t usually Bill’s type, but they worked on Dipper.

Bill scoffed, rolling his eyes as if his answer was the most obvious one in the universe. “Of course I’m going to. I am a man of my word, and I told you I’d help you out. And that means I’m going to help you  _ all _ the way out of this situation. We’re not going to do a thing about any of that just yet, though. You clearly need something to eat and some water first.”

The naga stared in awe at Bill, clearly having a hard time believing any of what was being said. “You mean...you’re just going to let me stay here? And you’re going to let me like, make myself at home?” His disbelief would have been offensive if they hadn’t met during a drug deal gone wrong, but Bill knew Dipper had every right to be skeptical.

“Mi casa es su casa,” Bill laughed. “Go ahead and get some clothes on then meet me in the hall,” he said as he walked to the door of his room. Dipper would be eating out of his hand soon enough. It wouldn’t be hard to get the naga to full health and on an invisible leash.

In the hall, Bill patiently waited for Dipper to change, knowing that the naga likely wanted the privacy. He personally never cared if anyone saw him naked, and he figured the only reason Dipper was confident in his birthday suit earlier was because he had no real choice over it. And if giving the naga a little breathing room was what it took to get him to stay, then Bill certainly didn’t mind it.

“These are a little big, but I really appreciate this,” Dipper said as he opened the door. His hair was still slightly damp, his cheeks and nose red from the hot water of the shower. Bill would admit that he looked pretty cute. Especially with his large T-shirt and shorts on.

But whether or not the naga looked cute as a human was irrelevant. Bill needed to get some warm food into the both of them, set Dipper up in a room, then go the fuck to sleep.

“It’s no problem. I’ll get you some that fit better a little later.” Bill waved his hand at Dipper for the naga to follow him, a small smile spreading on his lips when the brunet obeyed easily. Already basic compassion had won Dipper over for the time being. This would definitely be a sinch.

“We’re going to be eating then I’ll give you a  _ brief _ tour of the house. I say brief because I know we’re both tired, but letting you know where things like bathrooms and your temporary room are will help in case I’m not right there to help you. There are also a few people that tend to the cleaning and whatnot, so if you see one of them you can ask for help getting around.” He would need to tell all of his staff not to talk too much to Dipper, but that was something he could save for after his nap.

Dipper walked with him to the kitchen like a lost puppy, his eyes wide and hands tucked into his pockets the entire time as if he had to keep them there. The naga probably thought he couldn’t touch anything, but to Bill, most everything he owned was replaceable so he didn’t care if they were messed with by him. Though, it would be kind of fun to mess with him over a little later so Bill didn’t tell him that.

“This, as you can probably tell, is the kitchen. You’re allowed to come and get food whenever you’d like and can make your own food, however if you ask one of the maids to make something for you, they will.” Bill paused, turning around and raising a brow at Dipper. “How educated are you in like, modern things, anyway? You figured out the shower just fine, I noticed.”

“I lived a normal life before I was kidnapped,” Dipper scoffed. The naga crossed his arms over his chest, eyes still wandering around the kitchen. “I know how to use a toaster and microwave if that’s what you’re asking.”

So he was dealing with a bit of a sass master, one that clearly wasn’t going to respond well to Bill if he treated him like he didn’t know anything. That could be worked with too. “Alright, alright, just making sure. In the mornings it would be best if you met me in here, simply because the house is large and we’d likely miss each other otherwise. Until you’re better, I think it would be for the best if you stayed in the house. Not to mention you’re probably in a new area and you could get lost. There’s a garden out back, though, feel free to go out there.”

The naga nodded slowly as Bill spoke, still not looking at him. “So...I can wander the house? Sometimes when I think I need room to pace, so being able to explore the halls would be nice.”

“Then explore the halls to your heart’s content,” Bill chuckled. “Like I said, while you’re here recovering you can just imagine this place as your own. Get comfortable and take as much time as you need to get healthy again. Which reminds me, what would you like to eat? I imagine you’re pretty hungry.”

A more sheepish nod came from the naga as he stepped further into the kitchen. “Whatever you’re making will be fine. I can make something for myself if you want. As I said, I know my way around a kitchen. Mostly, anyway.”

“I’m making myself a grilled cheese and some tomato soup, so I hope that sounds good to you because I’m more than happy to make you some as well.” Right away Bill went to work on cooking, getting out the dishes he’d need to make the food. Usually, he would never make his own food, but for the sake of looking like a nicer, more normal person to Dipper he didn’t mind whipping something up.

“That sounds amazing,” Dipper said a bit eagerly. It was unclear how much Dipper had been fed while he was stuck with Carter and his men, but due to his skinny appearance and slightly shaky limbs, Bill would guess that it wasn’t enough.

“Couple of grilled cheeses and some soup, coming right up,” Bill said with a smile.

Dipper sat at the island in the kitchen on one of the thickly cushioned bar stools, the exhaustion becoming more and more clear on his face as Bill cooked. He couldn’t help but notice that the naga really didn’t seem too much like a normal person even while wearing the necklace. Something about him just seemed  _ off, _ though Bill couldn’t place what it was.

Perhaps seeing Dipper with his tail had just been too jarring and Bill couldn’t see him as normal after everything. Or there really was something off about him. All of that would have to be looked into later, however, because Bill could smell the finished food and he felt like he was starving.

“Soup’s on,” he announced, setting a plate and bowl in front of Dipper. The brunet looked a bit startled, but Bill chose not to comment on it. “Eat up and then we’ll go on the quick tour, which will end with your room so that you can sleep. You seem exhausted.”

“I am,” Dipper groaned. He started to dig into his food with gusto despite the tiredness, however, stuffing his face and looking quite pleased about it.

Bill had no room to comment on it, not when he did the same. The two had a long day, Dipper’s definitely longer than his, so it was a needed break for them. They didn’t even speak to each other until their plates and bowls were cleared, Dipper leaning back in his chair.

“Thank you, that was really good. I don’t think I’ve eaten anything good in...a long time.”

“You mean you have no idea how long you were trapped there?” Although Bill was out to use Dipper in a similar way, he wasn’t totally heartless. He did feel bad that Dipper had been stuck in such a shitty situation, even if it had only been for a short time.

Dipper shrugged, picking up his dishes and taking them to the sink, a clear sign that he really had lived in a modern house before he was taken. “Not really. I’m  _ guessing _ it was about a year, but the days started to melt together after a while. Counting the number of times I could hear them playing poker helped, though. I think they played on the weekends, and I got to around fifty counting out each game.”

“Sounds like Hell,” Bill said honestly. “I hope you’ll be glad to know that if there’s ever a poker game here, you’ll be invited and not shut in the basement.” He picked up his dishes as well, putting them in the sink and nudging Dipper lightly. The naga had opened up to him a little and Bill knew then that the more he gave, the more Dipper would latch on to him. “Leave those and they’ll get taken care of. You and I need rest.”

“Uh, right, okay.” Dipper turned off the water and stood next to Bill, waiting for him to lead the way again. The good habits were already starting, giving Bill the little bit of energy needed to actually do the small tour.

Bill took them from the kitchen back out into the hall, walking a bit more sluggish than usual. After everything he’d done that day they just felt like bricks tied to his legs. “Alright, so most of these doors led to storage or guest room. The ones with nameplates are those of the staff that live here, try not to bug them when they’re in their rooms.” The deer in the headlights look stayed stuck to Dipper’s face as they walked as if the information Bill was spouting was actually interesting. “Up here at the end, you’ll see one of the many bathrooms, this being the main downstairs bathroom.”

As silly as giving a house tour seemed, Bill knew he had to be the one to do it. Dipper’s fear of the new place practically poured off of him in buckets and the more Bill eased that, the less he’d have to try in other departments of his lie. He could only hope that the offer of the private room with one of the nicest beds would really help seal the deal.

They made it to the stairs, Bill taking it slow for Dipper’s sake. “You probably remember where my room is, so allow me to show you yours. It’s not far from mine or my office, but I think that’ll make things easier for you, especially when it comes to finding me.” One of the best guest rooms sat around the corner from Bill’s own room, allowing them space but not enough to make Bill feel like Dipper would be isolated.

“Here we are,” he announced as he opened the door. “Feel free to make it your own, move things as you’d like and all that. This room has a bathroom of its own and a walk-in closet, which is where I’ll have the better-fitted clothes put for you once they arrive.”

Dipper’s jaw dropped when he saw the inside of the room, an audible gasp leaving his lips as he stepped inside. “Th-this is my room? And that was a pretty short tour, this place is massive and that’s all we’re going through?”

“I did say brief,” Bill laughed, too tired to keep this up for much longer. “We'll cover more of it tomorrow. Go on then, get comfortable and get some sleep. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” He left without another word, closing the door with Dipper inside and hoping the naga wouldn’t need him.

It would take a while for Dipper to get used to being there and Bill would have quite a bit more work to do if he wanted the brunet to be obedient and actually work as he wanted him to, but he had a feeling it would all be worth it and come together in the end. An asset like Dipper could bring up his status, more so than what it would have gone up working with Carter.

He crawled into his plush, freshly made bed and did his best to push all of his work thoughts aside, finally letting his exhaustion claim him so that he could put on his act all over again when he woke up. Getting out of bed in the first place hadn’t been a total waste, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill you sneaky bastard just accept that he's cute already and romance the snake jfc

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, comments are always super appreciated! <3


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